Suicide Squad Behind-the-Scenes Video Introduces the Team

One of this summer’s most talked about (and only) superhero releases is DC/Warner Bros. Pictures’ wicked ensemble feature, Suicide Squad. With less than two weeks until it hits theaters, hype over the film has hit a fever pitch and evidence of its menacing heroes are everywhere.

Entertainment Tonight put together a slick little character study based on the slapdash crusaders. The featurette, bathed in the garish pastels of the Suicide Squad’s retro-New Wave motif, features some great behind the scenes clips and action from the new film. It also profiles some of the teams heavy-hitters, including brief interviews and shots of Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), the Joker (Jared Leto), Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), and Enchantress (Cara Delevingne).

One of the main perks, of course, aside from Leto’s amusement at playing a “75-year-old” character, is a clip from Robbie’s Harley Quinn in which the character familiarizes herself (in a familiar-sounding accent) with: “Harley Quinn, nice to meet ya!” Her Squad intro apes her classic Batman: The Animated Series origin, when the character first meets Poison Ivy, famously referring to her as “that plant lady, Poison Oakey.” The clip also explores some of the actors’ motivations behind their characters. Enchantress’ Delevingne also discusses the productions move to make its female characters powerful, rather than set-dressing or sidekicks.

With all the early hype, it’s hard not to be excited for Suicide Squad. Trailers and clips already show a robust inner-cast chemistry and very relatable characters. In addition, director David Ayer has a strong reputation as an action director. If DC continues its story-driven trend (see Batman V Superman‘s extended cut rather than theatrical run), the numerous set-pieces will merely serve as exciting backdrops to the potentially rich realm of villainy.

Great expectations and box office predictions aside, it will be the characters, and by extension, the writers, who secure Suicide Squad’s success – and its place in the DC Extended Universe. If the story holds up to scrutiny and the characters take center stage within the hyper-kinetic action, the antihero picture could really be the film that breaks the DCEU wide open in preparation for next year’s Wonder Woman and, of course, Justice League.

Suicide Squad will be released on August 5th. Next up for DC is Wonder Woman on June 2, 2017; Justice League on November 17, 2017; Aquaman on July 27, 2018; an untitled DC Film on October 5, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Justice League 2 on June 14, 2019; an untitled DC film on November 1, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020. The Flash is currently without a release date.